Earlier last month, the Shanghai-Hangzhou high-speed line stunned the world when in a trial
run, a train hit a speed of 416.6 kilometers per hour, a world train speed record.

"The operation of the Shanghai-Hangzhou high-speed rail line will help alleviate traffic
pressure in the Yangtze River Delta region," Liu Zhijun, Minister of Railways, said at the
line's inauguration ceremony.

"It will not only promote economic and personnel exchange but facilitate the integration of
the Yangtze River Delta region as well," Liu said.

According to Ministry of Railways (MOR) forecasts, passengers are expected to make 3.05
billion trips in and out of the Yangtze River Delta in 2010, with the figure jumping to 5.5
billion in 2020.

A ticket price for the nine-stop trip between Shanghai and Hangzhou costs 156 yuan (23.4
U.S. dollars) for a first-class seat and 98 yuan (14.7 U.S. dollars) for a second-class seat.

China launched its first high-speed line - a service linking the capital and the port city of
Tianjin - during the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

Since then, more fast-train lines have been put into service: the Wuhan-Guangzhou line
linking central and south China; the Zhengzhou-Xi'an line connecting central and western
China; and the Shanghai-Nanjing line in the country's east.

China has an ambition to make its high speed rail network the world's longest.

According to the MOC, China will have a rail network of 110,000 km by 2012, with 13,000
km of it high-speed rail.

The highlight of China's high-speed rail network will be the 1,318-km Beijing-Shanghai line.
Currently under construction, the 220.9 billion yuan (33.1 billion U.S. dollars) line is
scheduled to open in 2012.

Once complete, train travel time between the country's two most important cities will be cut
in half to less than five hours.

[Source: Xinhua, Shangai and Hangzhou, 26Oct10]

This document has been published on 06Nov10 by the Equipo Nizkor and Derechos Human Rights. In accordance with
Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a
prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational
purposes.